A central agreement has been reached with the Canadian Union of Public Employees representing 55,000 education workers across the province and the government.
The three year contract impacts custodians, education assistants, early childhood educators and clerical staff.
Local terms in the deal still need be approved by individual school boards and CUPE members.
Under the agreement, education workers will receive a 1% wage increase each year.
Benefit plan costs will also be held to a 1% hike in each of the three years.
The government has promised to protect front-line services by restoring about 1,000 full-time equivalent CUPE positions and reinstate about 300 full-time workers who were displaced at the end of August.
The province is also providing school boards with about $640,000 in each of the three years to keep schools open outside of class hours for community use.
Jobs will be maintained but may vary through attrition, changes in student enrolment, school closures and other factors.
There will also be one-time funding of up to $100,000 to support violence prevention training for employees and a plan to address absenteeism and sick time rates.
The government says the deal was reached while respecting taxpayers, students and families, and recognizing the important contributions of front-line education workers.
Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce says “Our singular aim through this process was to keep students in class and provide predictability and certainty to parents, students, and educators.
He adds “We value education workers who work hard to foster a safe and positive learning environment for students all across the province.”
Lecce notes “This agreement demonstrates our government can get deals done with our labour partners, and it affirms the importance of all parties staying at the negotiating table and taking a reasonable approach to the bargaining process.”
He says “By negotiating in good faith, all parties have demonstrated that an agreement can be achieved.”
